GREENWOOD, S.C. — Most people deal with the sheriff’s office in Greenwood County only after something goes wrong. But deputies also run several services residents can use ahead of time. Here is how a few of them work.
Trespass notices: To formally bar someone from your property, send that person a notice by certified mail through the post office and request a return receipt. Each person needs a separate notice, even at the same address. Bring a copy of the signed receipt and the notice to the sheriff’s office and keep copies yourself. Someone who comes back after being notified can face a charge of trespassing after notice.
Missing-person registry: Families of people who may not be able to speak for themselves or might become disoriented can enroll them in a free, voluntary registry run by the sheriff’s office. It stores a recent photo, a description and caregiver contacts, and deputies can search it from patrol cars by name or appearance to get someone home or to help find a missing person. Enrollment is available online or in person, and families are asked to keep the record current.
Complaints about deputies: Complaint forms are available at the lobby window or online. The office says it investigates every complaint, signed or anonymous, aims to finish internal investigations within 30 days and gives the person who complained a status update every five days.
Help for crime victims: Victim advocates in the criminal investigations division work with victims from the date of the crime until the case is resolved, explaining court procedures and passing along court dates.
Criminal cases that start with Greenwood County deputies are prosecuted by the 8th Circuit solicitor’s office, which covers Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens and Newberry counties.
Learning how deputies work: A citizens academy run by the office meets on Tuesday nights for two hours, and the final session puts participants in a patrol car with deputies on shift.
Section: More Greenwood SC crime news
Filed under: Greenwood SC Crime News
